"The Truth About This Famous Photo..."

 "The Kiss of Life"

A utility worker giving mouth-to-mouth to his co-worker after he contacted a 4,000 volt power line

Taken in 1967 by Rocco Morabito, this photo called “The Kiss of Life” shows a utility worker named J.D. Thompson giving mouth-to-mouth to co-worker Randall G. Champion after he fell unconscious following contact with a low voltage line. Thompson over 400 feet away recognized the critical situation and ran to the pole and scaled it to reach Champion. Realizing champion wasn’t breathing he delivered mouth-to-mouth respirations and chest compressions while supporting his friend; a super impressive feat given the angle and precarious height involved. 

This all happened oddly on Champions work anniversary. And in a stranger twist of fate, Rocco Morabito, a newspaper photographer who had been covering a strike down the road with Eastern Freight happened to be nearby with his camera. This photo won Morabito the Pulitzer Prize for journalism photography. 

Champion survived the incident and returned to work a mere week later. He would live another 35 years passing away in 2002. Morabito lived to age 88, passing away in 2009. J.D. Thompson the famed rescuer throughout his life has expressed humility about his role, stating that he simply did what anyone would have done to save a friend. As of this writing "Johnny" J.D. Thompson is still living in Florida and was honored last year with a proclamation of heroism and the naming of a street in his honor in Jacksonville.

Former Jacksonville City Electric lineman J.D. Thompson, at center in light blue shirt, is honored Nov. 12, 2024 with a City Council proclamation commending him for his 1967 rescue of fellow lineman Randall Champion.